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Ancient Civilization of India. The Indus River, Harappa & Mohenjo-Daro, Aryans, Hinduism, Buddhism, Castes, the Guptas and More. View of Mohenjo-Daro towards the Great Bath. Street in Mohenjo-Daro with Covered Drain.
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Ancient Civilizationof India The Indus River, Harappa & Mohenjo-Daro, Aryans, Hinduism, Buddhism, Castes, the Guptas and More
Early Civilizations in India – 2 Cities– Harappa y Mohenjo-Daro • Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro – near the Indus River (currently Pakistan) • Well organized cities and government • Agriculture and Commerce/Trade • Many gods, including sacred animals • Declined for many reasons, some unknown
Aryans arrive from the North • Aryans, a group of persons united by their similar languagues, come from southern Russia to the northeast of India; later to the Deccan Plateau • We know them largely through the Vedas, a collection of religious writings written in Sanskrit • Changed from a nomadic life to agriculture • Aryans formed a social structure with many levels, or castes • First worshiped many gods, based on nature
Caste System – Rigid Social Categories • Your “caste” or “jati” determined both your job/ economic position and your social position • There are 1000s of castes in India, based on occupation and your family network • 4 major social classes, called varnas: • Brahmans – in charge of religious ceremonies • Kshatriyas – originally warriors • Vaisyas – commoners; merchants and farmers • Sudras – peasants, manual laborers; most Indians • Below everyone – Untouchables; collect trash/bodies
Hinduism • Developed by Aryans sometime after 1500 B.C. • Single spiritual force in the world – Brahman • Believed in reincarnation – soul is reborn in different form after death • Final goal – union with Brahma • Karma – force generated by person’s actions • Dharma – divine law – all must do their duty • Justified class divisions; could rise above your caste only after death • Yoga – way to achieve union with God
Buddhism • Began after 550 B.C., in northern India • Founder – Siddhartha Gautama, or Buddha, the “Enlightened One” • Siddhartha was rich man who became aware of sorrow, tried to find cure for suffering, true meaning of life • Must abandon worldly cares to find true meaning; must search for wisdom • Goal: Achieve Nirvana – end of self & reunion with the Great World Soul • Would spread from India to China and SE Asia
Four Noble Truths • Ordinary life is full of suffering • Suffering caused by desire to satisfy ourselves • Must end desire for selfish goals; see others as extensions of ourselves • Way to end desire is to follow the “Middle Path” There are 8 steps to the middle path: right view, intention, speech, action, work, effort, mindfulness and concentration
Powerful Empires of India – Mauryan Empire • In 321 BC, Chandragupta Maurya, started the first Indian empire; lasted from 321 BC to 185 BC • Capital – Pataliputra – Splendid city • Well-organized bureaucracy; effective but cruel • Grandson Asoka – most successful emperor • Conquered region of Kalinga, but then gave up violence and converted to Buddhism • Sent missionaries out to spread Buddhism • After Asoka, Mauryan Empire fell apart • 1st empire to unify all of India
Powerful Empires of India –The Guptas • From 320 AD to 540 AD – Golden Age under the Gupta regime • Peace and prosperity; decentralized government, elected by artisans and businessmen • Advances in philosophy, literature, mathematics (arabic numbers, zero), other areas of knowledge